Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters (unless otherwise stated) Kazuki Takahashi does, nor do I make any money from these stories.

In this story Jou and Yugi have never met and are not friends.

03

He watched as the blond stood staring open-mouthed at the pharaoh standing before him "My pharaoh what brings you to my humble home?"

Yugi balled his hands into fists he dearly wanted to say something but knew he couldn't.

"I have something I wish to discuss with you."

The Young Man Bowed, "Please come in my pharaoh."

He stood back and allowed the pharaoh, his son crown prince Atemu and a small boy he felt he should remember but couldn't enter, two guards stood by the door just inside the house and Jou knew they were there as protection for the royal family.

"You are not Egyptian?"

"No my pharaoh, I am from Japan, I was bought here on a slavers boat where I was purchased then freed."

"Most fortunate indeed." The pharaoh answered as he looked round the living area.

He noticed that Yugi had been right; all of the furniture had indeed come from the palace "Guard!"

One of the guards at the door walked to the pharaoh and bowed

"Yes my pharaoh."

"Get the others, you know what to do."

"Yes sire." The guard bowed and went outside.

Yugi looked at Atemu "What are they going to do?"

Atemu smirked "Watch, but you must say nothing Yugi, don't forget my father's word is considered law." Atemu could sense the fear radiating from Yugi, he took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze "It'll be alright Yugi, I promise."

Feeling somewhat better Yugi smiled "Okay."

The guards walked into the small house and the pharaoh watched as they systematically stripped the house of its rich furnishings, leaving what did not belong to the palace on the floor. The rest was loaded onto a cart ready to be transported back to the palace.

Once the rooms were empty the pharaoh halted one of the guards and spoke to him quietly "Were you one of the original guards that cleared Yugi's things and burned them?"

Ashamed the guard bowed his head "Yes pharaoh but we were only following the high priests orders"

"Were you also one of the ones laughing at the boys plight?"

"If I may be so bold my pharaoh we all felt sorry for the young one he'd only just lost his grandfather but two days before, that's why we took to helping him whenever we could."

"Who were the ones laughing then?"

"That was the high priests own temple guards"

"I see, I want you to take all the remaining items to the same spot that Yugi's were placed, now go."

The guard grinned, "Yes sire!"

The pharaoh Aknamkanon raised an eyebrow at the seemingly joyous tone of the guard. He was even more surprised to see that all the guards suddenly started smiling at the command.

Finally slipping from his shock Jou looked at the pharaoh "What is happening? Why have you ordered this?"

The pharaoh looked at him his eyes narrow "These items belong in the palace, how is it that you have them?"

Jou not knowing how to answer stayed silent.

"Guard!"

"Yes my pharaoh."

"Take this man to the back yard."

The guard led the blond man outside, followed by the pharaoh, Atemu and Yugi.

The pharaoh nodded "Burn it!" he commanded.

Shocked, Yugi buried his head into Atemu's chest. Atemu wrapped his arms round Yugi and whispered "Yugi, my father is letting him off lightly, for all the things he had from the palace he should have been executed, but because you didn't want him hurt this was the only way."

Yugi looked up and Atemu and he could see the sincerity in the prince's eyes, he held Atemu tighter "But the high priest will have to face a harsher penalty."

"Why?" Yugi whispered.

"He has acted against the gods, the high priest in not meant to take a lover and he broke that law and with a male, the gods will want to see justice done for the crime against them."

"Help him." Yugi pleaded

"I can't, it is out of the hands of myself and the pharaoh."

Yugi buried his head into Atemu's chest again and wept.

The pharaoh heard the high priest shouting at the palace guards, demanding to know what was going on, he stormed through to the back yard, the pharaoh had stepped back so besides his own lover all he could see was crown prince Atemu with a young look-a-like in his arms.

"What in Ra's name is going on in here?" he demanded, his lover ran to him.

"They have taken everything back to the palace and burned what was left."

The high priest looked at Atemu "Did you do this because of that pathetic child?" he seethed "How dare you destroy this man's home!"

Atemu turned to the high priest but before he could say anything in retaliation his father stepped forward

"No priest, I commanded it!"

The high priest froze "M…my pharaoh" he kneeled; the young man also kneeled then he spoke quietly "If I may ask sire?"

"What is it!" the pharaoh snapped

"Why have you done this?"

The pharaoh beckoned Yugi over and placed a hand on his shoulder "What I have done to you is recompense for what you did to Yugi, I would have your head but Yugi here spared it."

The high priest was angry, he stood up "But he is just a child!"

"That is where you're wrong priest!" Atemu spat "Yugi is a young man of nearly 18!"

The young man looked at Yugi "I don't understand."

Yugi sighed "What was done…the way it was done is exactly what happened to me to clear this place for you, you know that."

Jou looked at the high priest "You told me the owner died and that it was empty." he looked at Yugi "I never knew."

Unable to take anymore Yugi walked through the house and out into the street.

"Atemu."

"Yes father."

"Go after him."

Atemu nodded and ran after the teen "Yugi what is wrong?"

"He's lying, he knew, he thinks I've forgotten." He looked at Atemu, tears in his eyes "He's the one who threw the portrait onto the fire."

Atemu bundled Yugi up "Come on we had best tell my father he is being lied too."

The pharaoh stood trying to work out what to do with the seemingly innocent young man.

"Father."

"Yes Atemu."

"You are being lied to."

Aknamkanon turned sharply to look at his son and Yugi "Explain!"

Atemu repeated what Yugi had told him.

Angry the pharaoh turned back to the young man who was now looking at him nervously.

"Yugi spared you from my wrath for stealing from him, but then you lie not only to him but to me also, this time Yugi cannot step in to help you."

The pharaoh looked at Yugi expecting him to step in and say something anyway but he said nothing. "Yugi?" the pharaoh asked.

Yugi looked up at him his tears visible, "My pharaoh, his fate is your decision, I…no longer care what happens to him." Yugi turned and walked away.

The pharaoh was beyond angry the fool in front of him had managed to change Yugi from the gentle caring soul he was into something he was not, cold hearted...

"Atemu."

"Yes."

"Go, find Yugi and take him back to the palace."

"Yes father."